Posted on 03/11/2007 9:08:10 AM PDT by doesnt suffer fools gladly
Has Ann Coulter Hit Her Tipping Point?
By DAVID BAUDER
NEW YORK (AP) - Ann Coulter has been a reliable name for years among people who plan television news shows - an attractive, articulate blonde conservative who's made a living lobbing verbal bombs.
Following her use of a gay slur about Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards this month during remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference, some on TV are wondering whether her shelf life is expiring.
Many were angered by her use of the "f-word". Coulter later said she considered it a "schoolyard taunt." She said it was a joke about "Grey's Anatomy" actor Isaiah Washington saying he would seek counseling after using the word to refer to a fellow actor.
At least four daily newspapers have dropped Coulter as a columnist, citing her comment about Edwards.
Head-turning remarks are hardly anything new for the author of "Godless: The Church of Liberalism" and "How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)." In "Godless" last year, she wrote of World Trade Center widows: "I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much."
"It's a world of 'are you talking about me? are you talking about me?'" said Steve Friedman, executive producer of "The Early Show" on CBS. "And eventually you have to get more and more outrageous to be talked about. One day you cross the line and become persona non grata. I think she's getting close. I think Bill Maher is getting close."
Friedman has no plans to book Coulter on his show, but said he had no plans even before her Edwards comment.
Some people on NBC's "Today" show didn't want to see Coulter before she was booked to talk about "Godless" last summer, said Jim Bell, the show's executive producer.
He overruled them. Having only certain points of view would make for a bland program, he said. Since Coulter is a best-selling author, clearly there's an audience that responds to her. Coulter also appeared on a "Today" segment this Feb. 8, debating a University of Pennsylvania professor.
Bell said last week that Coulter's legitimate points of view are beginning to get lost in the noise of being outlandish.
"She sometimes goes out of her way to push some buttons and tends to generate more heat than light," he said. "We love a lively debate, but we would tend to get people who would generate more light."
Said Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism: "You do wonder whether she's destined for 'Dancing With the Stars' at some point."
Several conservatives criticized Coulter for her Edwards remarks. Fellow columnist Michelle Malkin lamented that Coulter had tarred the work of people at the Washington conference. She called Coulter's humor "tired old shtick." Tim Graham, director of media analysis at the Media Research Center, said some conservatives envy the attention she gets and dislike how she distracts from legitimate arguments.
"If you got the sense that she was saying things you thought she believed, it would help," he said.
Still, Graham said it would be "outrageous" if Coulter is blacklisted by networks but Maher isn't. The HBO comic angered some by recent remarks suggesting more people would live if an assassination attempt against Vice President Dick Cheney had been successful.
The liberal organization Media Matters for America, which has long campaigned against Coulter, hopes this is a "defining moment" that causes TV networks to turn their backs on her, said spokesman Karl Frisch.
MSNBC once fired Coulter as a regular contributor after a remark she made to a Vietnam veteran. But Coulter has appeared there as a guest on shows and the network has no policy against her.
The remarks "won't stop conservatives from buying her books and her ability to sell books is what drives her bookings on TV," said MSNBC's "Hardball" host Chris Matthews.
CNN had scheduled Coulter to appear with Paula Zahn last Monday. The network said Coulter canceled her appearance.
"We have and will continue to interview provocative guests and ask them tough questions," CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson said. "We don't have overall bans about anyone. We will book them when we think it is appropriate to do so, on a case by case basis."
The changing nature of cable news may limit Coulter's ability to speak to those who don't already agree with her. Cable talk shows used to be built upon fiery debate, while now there are more shows that take a point of view and depict world events through that prism. Think Lou Dobbs, Keith Olbermann and Glenn Beck.
A spokeswoman for Coulter did not return a call for comment. Coulter, however, did appear on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes" three days after the Edwards remark and belittled the idea that it would do lasting damage to her. It's a cycle, she said: she says something, the same people become hysterical, and that's the end of it.
It's about her 17th allegedly career-ending moment, she said.
"It happens about every six months," Coulter said, "and you're always there to put me on TV, Sean."
Ann is Ann, people will have to get over it.
Ann speaks for normal people....this is one thing the faggots dont understand....
Nor do the democrats... ;)
Bingo!!! same thing
Aw Sam, c'mon man - that's not nice! Naj is a great chick -- you both have a lot of good qualities.
Bottom line: She's gettin' too old, and this is an opportunity to ditch her.
"Aw Sam, c'mon man - that's not nice!"
What's not nice about it?
Najida posted it on the internet before I did. She's clearly proud of the photo.
And since she has posted so many cracks about Coulter's appearance, I thought it was only fair we know where she is coming from.
Where's your picture for us to compare?
Great! I guess my pic's next? I can assure you I could never be confused as an anorexic either! LOL I like Ann Coulter a lot. She cracks me up and it's refreshing to hear a spade called a spade. I do however think she's way too skinny. As in unhealthily so -- if she looks that thin on TV, it's scary thin in real life. Some of us could NEVER be that thin even if we wanted to, without damaging our health. And sometimes it's hard to be compared to those women -- mentally or right out in the open.
This is probably going to be too subtle for you, but unlike Najida, I don't go around slandering people for their appearance and (falsely) calling them anorexic.
"Has Ann Coulter Hit Her Tipping Point?"
No, but the faggots that keep bashing her have.
I disagree with all kinds of people all the time, so what difference does it make?
Several of my sons are howling at me ... I plan to not care much about that, either :-).
"I do however think she's way too skinny. As in unhealthily so -- if she looks that thin on TV, it's scary thin in real life. Some of us could NEVER be that thin even if we wanted to, without damaging our health."
And I'm sure she appreciates your concern. It must delight her to read at every mention of her name on Free Republic how skinny she is, and how she needs to eat more cheeseburgers.
Believe it or not there are thin people in the world who are not anorexic or otherwise diseased. Also, being thin is far more healthy than being overweight. Thin people tend to live forever.
To that end I propose we start commenting on every person who is even slightly overweight on FR, celebs and posters alike. We should at every opportunity suggest that they dial back on the cheeseburgers -- so that we might find them more attractive.
And of course out of our great concern for their health.
Just so you know,
I've worked with eating disorders and I've worked with obesity. I'd rather deal with 100 obese folks than one crazied, self-absorbed ED client. They are a professional nightmare.
As for so 'many' cracks about Ann's appearance, I only made one on this thread. Keep your facts straight.
Now, about you. I walked away from this thread yesterday. I'd considered our discussion over. You got the last word.
BUT for some reason, you can handle opposing opinions very well, so you got up this morning and went searching--- for what? I have a web page full of pictures of me, my collegues and students. All you need to do was ask. And I'll gladly post them.
BTW, my teaching dance and performing DOES pay well, quiet well. Success is gadged not by age or 'weight' but by dancing skill, bookings, requests for workshops, number of classes and students. So I'm not quitting it either, because I'm VERY good at it. Yes, very good in this little hobby of mine. That picture was from one of the best performances I ever gave. It's full of great memories.
Lastly, the strongest point I want to make is that---I do find it interesting that you, who so many claim to be the ultimate Anti-CPer, you chose to stooping to their method of debate. OK, so you now have shown your true colors. Not just to me, but to many others who are shaking their heads.
You are now one of them.
Sorry I pointed out your vicious hypocrisy in smearing Ann Coulter as an anorexic.
(Just kidding. I'm not sorry at all.)
You think that's not already done?
What hypocracy?!? I never ever on any thread have said I'm 'thin'. I was making a comment, semi-professionally.
Ann raises flags with anyone who currently or has ever dealt with eating disorders. Right down to the sunken sternum, countable ribs and the elbows/knees bigger than the upper arms and thighs. I do also hear shes a chain smoker, which raises yet another flag.
So for crying out loud, she's just a human being. A political pundit.
That's all.
She's not worth you acting like a pit bull going for blood. I let you have the last word last time. What the hell do you want from me?
I see it on threads about liberals and other leftys, but not about those who are actually on our side.
Maybe you can provide some examples or links.
Wow, you really whipped out your best writing skills for that one!
Btw, i agree, Ann Coulter is way too skinny.
"Ann raises flags with anyone who currently or has ever dealt with eating disorders. Right down to the sunken sternum, countable ribs and the elbows/knees bigger than the upper arms and thighs. I do also hear shes a chain smoker, which raises yet another flag."
So it's even more slanderous. You're claiming that based upon your professional background (ahem) Coulter is an anorexic.
What are your degrees again?
BTW, Coulter doesn't smoke and hasn't for years.
Funny how you couldn't pick that up from the pictures posted of her on the internet.
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